Well-established as magnet alloys are, e.g., Fe-Al-Ni-Co alloys known as Alnico, Co-Fe-V alloys known as Vicalloy, and Fe-Mo-Co alloys known as Remalloy. These alloys possess desirable magnetic properties for a variety of applications; however, they contain substantial amounts of cobalt whose uncertain availability in world markets causes concern. Moreover, high cobalt alloys tend to be brittle, i.e., to lack sufficient cold formability for shaping, e.g., by cold drawing, rolling, bending, or flattening.
Considered as relevant with respect to the invention are the following printed items:
R. M. Bozorth, Ferromagnetism, Van Nostrand, (1959), pp. 34-37, pp. 236-238, pp. 382-385, and p. 417;
W. S. Messkin et al., "Experimentelle Nachprufung der Akulovschen Theorie der Koerzitivkraft", Zeitschrift fur Physik, Vol. 98 (1936), pp. 610-623;
H. Masumoto et al., "Characteristics of Fe-Mo and Fe-W Semihard Magnet Alloys", Journal of the Japanese Institute of Metals, Vol. 43 (1979), pp. 506-512; and
K. S. Seljesater et al., "Magnetic and Mechanical Hardness of Dispersion Hardened Iron Alloys", Transactions of the American Society for Steel Treating, Vol. 19, pp. 553-576.
These references are concerned with Fe-Mo binary and Fe-Mo-Co ternary alloys, their preparation, and their mechanical and magnetic properties. Phase diagrams of Fe-Mo-Ni alloys appear in:
W. Koster, "Das System Eisen-Nickel-Molybdan", Archiv fur das Eisenhuttenwesen, Vol. 8, No. 4 (October 1934), pp. 169-171; and
Metals Handbook, American Society for Metals, Vol. 8, p. 431.
Mechanical properties of Fe-Ni-Mo alloys are the subject of the following papers:
G. R. Speich, "Age-Hardening of Fe-20 (Pct) Ni Martensites", Transactions of the Metallurgical Society of AIME, Volume 227, (December 1963), pp. 1426-1432, and
S. Jin et al., "Structure and Properties of a Microduplex Maraging Steel", Mettalurgical Transactions A, Volume 7A, (May 1976), pp. 637-645.